Everything we do and think every day leads to the establishment of neural pathways in our brains which,
In turn,
Affect how we function and also how we see and experience the world.
Unfortunately,
Much of what we are exposed to,
Like work stress,
Media,
Is negative and establishes negative neural networks which then become our default mode of functioning.
Functioning in this negative mode makes us less efficient,
Less creative,
And prone to physical and mental illness.
This session strives to establish positive neural networks through positive reflection.
It helps to protect us from symptoms of depression and anxiety and make us resilient in the face of difficulty,
Helping us thrive and work towards our true potential.
So,
For this reflective exercise,
I'm going to pose a number of questions and all you need to do is simply think through your answers to the following questions.
Feel free to write them down if you prefer.
First question is,
Who are the people that you love?
What are some positive words you would use to describe yourself?
This can be difficult for some people to answer,
So a few example answers could be I'm able to persevere,
I am creative,
Brave,
Good at understanding people,
Funny,
Energetic,
Curious,
Humble,
Passionate,
Versatile,
Self-disciplined,
Wise.
Doesn't matter what the words are,
But what positive words would you choose to describe yourself?
What are some things that you enjoy doing?
These could be things that are deeply meaningful to you or things that you simply enjoy,
Like a good meal or a book.
Absolutely anything.
No answer is incorrect.
What do you enjoy?
Next,
Take a moment to reflect on something good that has recently happened.
Recently could be in the past day,
Past week,
It really depends on your frame of reference.
It could have been something in the last month.
Something good that happened recently.
Once you've identified this good thing that's recently happened,
I'd also like you to take this one step further and answer the question,
What made this good thing that happened possible?
So if I were to say,
My good thing that happened was that I went out to dinner with a friend.
The reason that is possible is,
Could be,
Because we both can afford to go out for a meal,
Because we both have good jobs and incomes.
It could be because we both value our friendship and made the time to spend together.
That's just an example.
Try to answer,
What made the good thing possible?
And now maybe,
We can think a little bit about a love for learning and curiosity.
Reflect back that as a child,
What were you very interested in?
What piqued your interest or got you excited?
What topic as a child?
And now,
At this point in your life,
What topic or skill would you like to learn more about?
What is it you'd be interested to learn more about?
And lastly,
Take a moment to reflect on three things you are grateful for.
They could be big,
Very important things,
Or these could be tiny things that we easily take for granted.
Three things you are grateful for.
It is important that we deliberately focus on the good things that exist in our lives,
So that we aren't overwhelmed or become convinced that there are more negative things than good things in our lives.
It takes a little bit more effort,
Because we are biologically programmed to notice the negative things more easily than the positive.
That's why taking the time,
As you've just done,
To just reflect on the good things is so incredibly important.
Thank you for taking the time to look after yourself and your well-being.
